Not for me
Decided to watch this because I've commonly seen people talk very highly of it. Unfortunately, it was not my cup of tea. I gave up at around episode 6 and just read episode summaries for the rest so that I could finish the story without having to sit through any more of the episodes.The first episode was okay but for me personally, it was not very intriguing. I wanted to drop it but, I had seen this site and so many people raved about it so I figured I had to power through because many people deem it to be "one of the best dramas". So I powered through for a couple more episodes but I just could not get invested in the show. The episodes were quite slow and it felt like the story was taking forever to happen. Unfortunately for me, the "bromance" between the goblin and reaper was just not enjoyable for me. It just felt childish and cheesy to me. The romance of the leads did not sit well with me either. For starters, the goblin literally looks like a 40-year-old to me (No offense main guy but that's just how I see you sorry). I did not enjoy the fact that he literally fell in love with a highschooler. The 900 something year age gap would not have mattered if they had a younger-looking actor but they did not. Additionally, KGE played this role too well and literally looked and acted like a 16-year-old to me. Don't get me wrong I love KGE normally. I just wished they had aged up the main girl character to be older, a college student at the very least. Also, I don't know if it's just me but I think because I watched this drama, but KGE just always looks so young now. In her other works she just always looks like an 18-year-old to me and its hard to believe that these roles have her in her late 20s (Not saying this as a bad or good thing I'm just simply stating it.)
There were some things I did like though! I love the music and OSTs, they are wonderful and added so much emotion to these scenes. I still listen to the album occasionally these days. Stay with me and Beautiful are my favorites. I did like how they traveled, it was really pretty to see. Especially in Canada, the background looked great. I also really like the cover image of her leaning on his back, I'm not sure why but I just think it looks good.
I really wanted to like this show but it is just not for me and I am ok with that. I respect that other people love it though as everyone's preferences are different.
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Yeap, all there. But damn, this was better than I ever could've expected. "Every moment shined." In deed. Ok, so maybe not *every* moment, but 89% of them for sure. I cried. I laughed. I wanted to group-hug the Goblin and the Grim Reaper and have a beer with them. They were friendship goals, level: immortals. Sometimes I actually wished there'd been more short arks with those two alone, because their interactions were both hilarious and heartwarming. The smartphone scene kills me every time, as does the one where they coolly go out of the tunnel with leeks and grocery bags. Bromance for the ages. Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-wook had the best chemistry out of all male actors I've seen so far. A+.
About the love stories.. though it was pretty hard for me to get with the program and support the Goblin and Eun-tak relationship at first because it was, frankly, wrong, to my great surprise (and maybe, a bit of disdain as well), I did like how they were written by the end and how their interactions were dealt with. I don't want to be hypocritical, I've enjoyed many a vampire romance in which the differences in terms of age were probably greater, but Gong Yoo was just so obviously older and the way they dressed him (op.ed. wonderfully) made him seem super serious. On the other hand, Eun-tak was.. a girl - this characterization is something I struggle with the most, because it both prevented me from rooting for them from the start, but was also a pretty realistic portrayal of the character, which I appreciated. By the time we got through the age gap though, I was totally on board. Well, a bit before that as well, just in time to bawl my eyes out to the rooftop scene. Her character really struck a chord with me in the end and I wish they'd done the jump a bit sooner and shuffled the stuff a bit so we could see more of older-Eun-tak's moments with Shin.
The story between the Reaper and Sunny was hilarious, I loved them together and I'm super happy that they got the ending they did, both of them. Eye-bawling moment #2. I especially loved Sunny's confidence which maybe made her come over as shallow at the start, but when you later realize how much she cares about him, and the history they share, it breaks your heart. The Grim Reaper was definitely my favorite character and that didn't change throughout the series. The deadpan comedic delivery, the whining, his brotherly love for Eun-tak and his "clients"... some of the short scenes in the tea-room were my favorite parts of certain episodes, especially the one with the soldier and his sweetheart who was waiting for him for 70+ years.
Overall, the series was wonderfully imaginative, poetic, with beautiful photography and lovable characters. It did seem to drag at certain times, but never enough to even consider dropping it or putting it on hold. The fantasy world created in the show was rich and magical. Love, love, LOVE. A must-see.
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I personally truly enjoyed the drama, i would rewatch it again with no doubt. I hope that if you're still debating whether to watch it or not you do decide to give this drama a chance, I promise you it won't disappoint you.
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What happens when a goblin, and grim reaper become roommates? If nothing else, you can be sure that there will be lots of roommate drama, bromance, and funny moments! Special mention to the scene where they go out to get groceries like the supernatural beings they are, it cracked me up. Why is this special, you ask : Go watch the drama :P
On a serious note, Goblin was like a ray of sunshine that flickers through on a cloudy day for me. Although it had its flaws (with respect to pacing and few unresolved questions), it was beautifully written and portrayed. The story was built with a rich mythology, filled with elements of hilarity, romance and above all melancholy. Each of the characters, even minor ones, had an intriguing charm to them and fulfilled a unique purpose in the storyline. Cinematography, especially scenes in Quebec, were visually stunning (I cant wait to visit Chateau Frontenac and other places in QC during fall now). I also really liked listening to the drama's OST, especially Beautiful by Crush, and have of course added it to my Kdrama playlist.
Maybe this might not be a popular opinion but I loved the bittersweet touch to its ending. I clearly have a thing for sad love stories. But what I took away from the drama the most, was that at the end of the day, we do need to deal with life on our own even with or without the presence of your loved ones. But, why should that mean, living life unhappily. In fact, live each moment with great joy, sharing precious moments with your dear ones, if not for anything else but to respect the love that you have received so far. With all the limitations we have as mortal beings, you might as well make the most of each moment. I was left with some questions at the end but I am ok ignoring these minor flaws as it kept me hooked till the last minute while also being thought provoking. Now, if only I could summon "The One", by blowing on a candle ;)
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Hats off to the cast who played such great characters. It completely hard to think that they are just characters, and not real people.
And what a twist with "GOD". Being and atheist myself, it was a really great experience to watch this.
I would surely recommend this to people.
Honestly, this was my entry into the world of Asian drama, until now, I just used to watch Japanese anime.
But, guess, I have drowned too deep into dramas now.
And goblin was the first ever drama I have watched.
So this will be something that I will always love and recommend to others.
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I felt somethings needed a little more time at the end
but other than that loved it :)
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It was all smooth at the beginning, i really enjoyed it. I thought i would fall for the main leads' relationship, but nope. I fell for the bromance of the Goblin, grim reaper, and deok hwa bromance instead. They're absolutely entertaining and amazing together! Idk maybe it's just me, i don't feel satisfied with the ending. The ending is too contrived and too hasting for me. I was like .... "Wait, what?" "What?" "Uhm okay". But overall, i still like this anyway. Well, not as much as i love Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo since the story is more relatable, rational, and perfectly ended.
The soundtracks are amazing! Altough not all of them are my favourites, but i can say that the soundtracks sound very different with another Korean Dramas. It's, cool, creepy, gloomy, sad, and sometimes a little bit warm. Altough i love most of them, i couldn't say that the lyrics of them are easily to be remembered. I'm so proud of Sungjae's acting! He shows his acting skill just get better and better! And also, i feel so proud of Lee Dong Wook! Thanks to God he's shining brighter with this drama. Since, in my opinion, he had so many dramas before, but i guess not all of them are enjoyable for some kdrama lovers. Altough, i fall for him since his perfomance in "Hotel King". He was so hot in there, bruh! His wing tattoo on his back was my fav part of him to look at! LMAO. And his chemistry with Lee Da Hee felt so real! Since, Hotel King is the second time he played as the main leads together with Lee Da Hee.
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Definitely overhyped
I went into this drama after hearing a lot of comments on Tiktok and friends and decided to try it out. At first it started off ok, but each episode was extremely slow-paced and the plot wasn't interesting. The main thing that I disliked about this drama was the relationship between the main leads. It felt really awkward watching there scenes. It doesn't make any sense of why a 19 year old highschool girl FELL IN LOVE with a 900 year old guy. The age gap between the leads in the show made it very . I literally had to search up the age difference between both actor/actress because of how uncomfortable their chemistry on-screen was. The relationship should have definitely be more of a Father/Daughter relationship rather than lovers. I really dislike the main female lead, she really pissed me off. She got angry at the most random thing and she is really selfish. She claims she's the goblin's bride but then fight and argue with him. No hate to Jung Hae-in but his character was very unnecessary and was annoying. Some parts that I liked from this drama was the funny interactions between the reaper and Soni, it was really funny and there relationship is kind of of cute:) My favorite relationship is the bromance between the goblin and the reaper. They were so cute together and I mainly continued watching for their relationship. The way they comfort each other even when they bicker and help each other. The cutest scene was when they were both taking medicine because they felt "sick" and "depressed". I usually don't like to leave a show uncompleted but I really couldn't keep on watching, the episodes were long and provided us with barely anything and the plot was very empty. I tried really hard to keep watching but got bored of it every 10 minutes. this drama is definitely overhyped but if you like age gap, slow-paced dramas then you should definitely give it a try. I really did not want to drop this show, but it definitely did not live up to the hype it was given.Was this review helpful to you?
Wet Firecracker
After struggling for 8 episodes, I'm dropping this. The first episode started off good in the Joseon era explaining the background but after that it gradually fizzled out. The main problem is that the 2 main leads have zero chemistry. Because there is zero chemistry, their love story is not convincing. As a result, her pulling out the sword loses much of its impact. All the slow-motion camera work and love songs in world will not work if there is no chemistry. Its not something that you can just manufacture. Ironically, the second leads did have chemistry and I found myself looking forward to their scenes instead of the main couple. As a matter of fact, I think they should have been the main leads and the main leads the second leads."Secret Garden" and "My Love From Another Star" were also fantasy rom coms and I enjoyed those very much. However, unlike those 2 there's nothing about this series so far that makes me want to keep watching.
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Goblin's making-of.
Behind the scene : Conversation between screenwriter Kim Eun Sook and film director Lee Eung Bok.LEE - Writer Kim, I've been waiting for your script for days!
KIM - Oh! Sorry, it slipped my mind.
Writer Kim Eun Sook takes a piece of paper and quickly writes something on it.
Then she hands the paper to director Lee Eung Bok.
KIM - There you go.
LEE - ... ?!!!
KIM - The script! Read it!
LEE : (He reads the sheet).
LEE - That... That's all?
On the sheet of paper, it says:
(pretty setting)
900yearsGOB - So, do you see it?
SCHOOLGIRL - What do I see?
(nice atmosphere)
SCHOOLGIRL - Am I the Goblin's fiancée?
900yearsGOB - Only if you see it.
(some flashback)
900yearsGOB - Let's not see each other anymore.
(someone crying)
SCHOOLGIRL - Ah! You've come back.
(someone making an easy joke)
SCHOOLGIRL - Give me 5 million.
(something that sounds like an end scene)
LEE - But... but... What else should I put in?
KIM - Whatever you want, you have carte blanche.
LEE - Rea... Really?!
KIM - As long as it's pretty and a bit fairylike.
LEE : (Wondered face in disbelief)
LEE - Am I really doing everything I want?!
KIM - Yes.
LEE - All the aesthetic stuff I haven't ever been able to fit anywhere else?!
KIM - I'm telling you...
LEE - Uh, a meeting on a pier by the sea, and the wind?
KIM - Yeah, lots of wind.
LEE - A scene with snow at night.
KIM - Perfect.
LEE - People passing each other without recognizing each other, in slow motion and in the rain?
KIM - Yeah, that's the spirit.
LEE - Uh... A stage in Canada?!
KIM - Yes, Canada is very pretty, especially in the Indian summer season.
LEE : (worried look).
LEE - How are we going to explain that they suddenly find themselves in Canada?
KIM - Is it really that important? As long as it's nice?
LEE - Still...
KIM - Yes, you're right, we should come up with something...
LEE : (Thinking about it, he takes out a cigarette and puts it in his mouth. Then he takes out a box of matches and tries to rub one, but it won't light).
LEE - Bloody hell, we're not in a drama, I have the right to light this fucking cigarette!
KIM - I've got it!!!!
KIM - Every time the heroin lights something, it forces the goblin to teleport to her.
KIM - Anyway, let's just say that the Goblin can teleport to wherever he wants.
LEE - But... But why?
KIM - Just... because!
LEE - People are going to scream at the plothole.
KIM - Ridiculous, to find a "plothole", there would have to be a "plot" already.
LEE - Okay okay.
LEE - On the other hand, in terms of dialogue, your script is a bit short.
LEE - Even with my aesthetic scenes, we'll never manage to furnish everything.
KIM - Tttt, no problem.
KIM - All you have to do is take these lines of dialogue and repeat it several times during the episodes.
LEE - Huh?! Those same lines?!
KIM - Yes, yes. Better little and well written than much and badly written.
LEE - Um, it would be better Above all: much and well written, than little and badly written...
LEE - Besides, people will fall asleep, they might miss the lines.
KIM - You're right, don't forget to add flashbacks with these dialogues.
KIM - That way we're sure the audience won't miss anything.
LEE - Scriptwriter Kim, I know you're the highest paid writer on the circuit...
LEE - ... and in a way the best for the producers...
LEE - But I have a feeling your drama is going to be boring to death.
KIM - Not at all, it'll be a blockbuster!
LEE - But a blockbuster needs a thrilling story! Suspense! Cliffhangers!
KIM : (mocking smile)
LEE - While your mess is frozen stagnant stalling!
LEE - Nothing's moving. Everything sounds hollow, it's an empty shell!
KIM - Director Lee, you just gave me the recipe for a western blockbuster.
KIM - I make drama blockbusters! That has nothing to do with it.
LEE - A drama blockbuster must be that shitty boring?!
KIM - Don't worry, I know the recipe.
KIM - Top actors, a good promo, your undeniable talent, screaming songs for teenage girls.
KIM - It's fast food drama. No need for a story, or anything stressful... especially for us.
KIM - We give viewers what they want without skimping on clichés and over-the-top glamour.
LEE - A McDrama'...
LEE - I have a feeling that the MVs on youtube will be even better than the drama...
KIM - That's very good, it'll give us good publicity.
LEE - I feel a bit ashamed.
LEE - We're pulling the whole drama industry down with something like this.
LEE - Plus, we're really taking people for dumb.
KIM - Yah! We're not here to make art.
KIM - We throw the sauce, we collect the money, and the producers are happy.
LEE - Well, since I've got all the latitude to do all I want...
LEE - ... I'm still going to try to do something artistic with this, at least for the images.
LEE - After all, that's the main interest in working with you.
(If spectators found pleasure in seeing this drama, that's the main thing.
I'm not here to spoil the happiness of others, that's why I made a humorous text.
There are some truths in this text, about screenwriter Kim philosophy).
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